Sam Cooke had once suggested that A Change Is Gonna Come and in the case of Galtres Parklands Festival it already has. As the festival enters its ninth year and because of certain impracticalities with last year’s site, it is now moving down the road a piece to a brand new location at Duncombe Park, Helmsley, York. The seat of the Duncombe family, it occupies a commanding position in what are really rather spectacular looking surroundings on the edge of the North Yorks Moors National Park. The festival itself will be held in the area in front of the house, a glorious pile dating from the early eighteenth century, with ample parking and camping facilities situated in nearby fields. There will be two camping areas; one right next to the main arena, with the other a short walk away and which will provide a more sedate and spacious environment in a meadow by the side of the River Rye which meanders its way slowly through the estate.
What hasn’t changed though is the festival’s solid values and principles as they promise to once more promote a raft of original live music, dance and performance across a range of stages and settings; to put on on a wide variety of activities for children and young people; the championing of local food and drink suppliers (it did, after all begin its life as a beer festival); a continuing strong commitment to protecting the environment; and taking its lead from the festival’s charitable foundation status, raising funds for charities. Galtres Parklands is a festival which fully embraces difference and places a very strong emphasis on it being local and lots and lots of fun.
This year the festival will play host to two outside stages, with three stages under the cover of marquees. The wonderful ArtsBarge tea-tent stage makes a most welcome return with the relaxed decadence of its sofas, cake stands and standard lamps and there will also be the STARSHADE performance area for storytelling and theatre plus much more besides. Beyond headlining acts such as Buzzcocks, Ash, Billy Bragg and the quite superb Adam Ant last year, there was a wealth of local talent on display, including one of the stages being devoted entirely on the Saturday to some of the very special sounds emerging from a rather buoyant Hull scene. This year will herald the return of local artistes such as Hope & Social, Littlemores, Ryan Spendlove, Chris Helme and Maia, with two of the headliners having already been announced in the form of Maximo Park and The Stranglers. In its sumptuous new surroundings, Galtres Parklands Festival promises to be even bigger and better in 2013.
Tickets, including an adult weekend at a very competitively priced £95, can be bought here:
http://www.galtresfestival.org.uk/ticket-outlets.cfm
Here are some pictures taken at last year’s Galtres Festival:
